There are strong reasons, both equitable and political, to do something about the current standoff over whether Florida's delegates to this summer's Democratic National Convention should be seated. But the idea currently floated by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) of conducting a "do-over" via an all vote-by-mail primary makes me very concerned about the security and accuracy of such a vote. A far better option would be to award delegates 50-50 to Sens. Clinton and Obama.
Politically knowledgeable people know the relevant background. As I recently explained at Slate, "Florida and Michigan famously held their primaries too early this year, violating the scheduling rules set by the Democratic National Committee. None of the Democratic candidates campaigned in those states, and Obama's name did not even appear on the Michigan ballot. ("Uncommitted" got 40 percent of the votes, compared with Clinton's 55 percent.) Clinton won both of these contests, and she has taken the position that the Florida and Michigan delegates should be seated, a position rejected by the DNC chair, Howard Dean."
Certainly seating Florida and Michigan delegates elected from these early states a very bad precedent for the Democratic Party. It would only encourage states in future elections to buck party rules and increase the race to the front of the line in an already front-loaded primary system. But Michigan and Florida voters didn't make this choice of when to vote; politicians made if for them, and it seems unfair to punish these voters by not allowing their votes to count or their delegates to be seated. And in any case, these states are too important to the Democrats in the November general election to risk angering them now.
One possibility some have suggested is simply seating Florida and Michigan delegations with an even split between Clinton and Obama delegates. That's not what the Florida and Michigan voters chose, but that seems fairer than approving the results of a contest run under unfair rules and conditions.
A fairer option -- if it is feasible -- is a "do-over." Michigan, which already has great experience running caucuses, is rumored to be planning a late spring caucus.
Florida presents a much more difficult problem. It has no experience with caucuses, and it is in the process of transitioning, yet again, between voting technologies. (Florida was one of the first states to phase out those inaccurate punch card voting machines, but they were replaced by electronic voting machines. The state has now decided to scrap the electronic machines, given public distrust over their use, and is replacing them with other technology such as optical scan equipment.)
Sen. Nelson's call for voting by mail has some surface appeal. The election is simple -- a single question with a small number of choices. Poll workers would not be required, nor the rolling out of election machinery. It will be cheaper, which is especially important because there is a large argument over who should pay for a do-over primary.
But an all vote by mail primary makes me very nervous. Putting aside the fact that such a vote is not allowed under current Florida law and would need approval of the Florida legislature, vote by mail simply is not as secure as polling place voting. Vote by mail is essentially a mandatory absentee ballot election. Absentee balloting raises the specter of voter fraud and coercion, for the simple reason that polling officials are absent when voting choices are made. In the absence of a secret ballot, it becomes much easier to enter into an illegal vote buying contract, because the buyer can verify how the seller has voted. In addition, because voting takes place out of the public eye, the possibility of coercion or intimidation about how to vote becomes possible. Even if a Florida do-over would not produce a clear delegate winner between Clinton and Obama, it would have great political importance and could well influence the votes of the superdelegates, who will hold the balance of power if this issue goes to the convention.
It might be that my concerns over the security of vote-by-mail in Florida are overstated. After all, Oregon's vote by mail system has been touted as an excellent and fair system. Perhaps so for Oregon. But what is true for Oregon is not so true for Florida. One need only think back to the massive absentee ballot fraud in the 1997 Miami mayoral race that led a court to order a new election. And there's something especially worrisome about rolling out a new system for counting votes for the first time in a presidential contest. It is like debuting your new play straight on Broadway.
The worst-case scenario for a Florida do-over is that the race is exceedingly close, and credible questions are raised about the fairness of the voting process. That won't help anyone -- especially Democrats -- when Florida voters return to the polls in November.
Mainly because its illegal, http://www
101.6102 Under Florida's - Mail ballot elections; limitation
Any state-leve
Just assume any replacemen
The "state-run
Obama didn't said "can't ", he and others said that Superdeleg
The comparison with Bobby Kennedy's race in 1968 is of course rubbish, since back then we weren't dealing with changing the rules of the race after the race had already taken place.
As I stated before, the easiest and probably most reasonable way to solve the deadlock would be to count Florida as it voted but strip 50% of their delegates. That would give Clinton a net win of 19 delegates. You can't do the same with Michigan because all but one candidate had the integrity to take their name off the ballot in support of the Democratic Party. Let Michigan have the caucus they seem to be preparing for. Obama will most probably net a solid amount of delegates out of a Michigan caucus. Clinton can be happy with her net gain in Florida, Obama with a possible net gain in Michigan. Which would result in seating delegates from Florida and Michigan without turning the whole race upside down. I wonder whether both candidates would have the guts to go along with such a plan. A test of leadership
Learn, people! Learn!
Florida.
There's a chance of fraud with EVERY method of voting. In my state, since the turnout was so much larger than usual at the caucus, we ran out of printed ballots and people in large numbers were voting on "Post-it" notes. How about the chance of fraud with THAT? But I don't suppose you'd be willing to nullify OBAMA's overwhelmi
Obama may well win this thing-- no doubt. But if you don't believe he can win legitimate
SEAT FLORIDA'S & MICHIGAN'S DELEGATES!
Plenty of stores have had their systems hacked and credit card numbers stolen, so don't think security is ever perfect.
I’m listening to CNN a little while ago and Rev. Al Sharpton, at the FL Chapter of his National Action Network is threatenin
First let me say, I voted for John Edwards in the primary AND I believe the FL vote should stand. That being said however, it seemed okay to disenfranc
Voters who did not feel it important to go to the polls at all because they had no interest in, or felt unaffected by other issues on the ballot like verifiable paper ballots and Amendment 1 - a couple of reasons for the primary date being moved - now should be able to go back and vote for the presidenti
True, the candidates were barred from campaignin
That he’s NOW had time to fine tune a message since Jan. 29th means we should have re-vote? Also interestin
Ideally, I say let the FL vote stand and seat the delegates. If not that, then let it go to the credential
-The Florida primary was driven by a property tax amendment that affected many of the property owners in Florida contrary to what the MSM and Charlie Crist would have you believe. Of course they do not report this because then it would take away the premise that the primary was the driving force and weakens their argument.
-The only reason all of the names were on the Florida ballot is because by FLORIDA STATUTE they had to be on the primary ballot if they wanted to be on the presidenti
-The Republican legislatur
-Hillary Clinton has a vested interest in Florida because she has the super delegates such as the Alcee Hastings, Bill Nelson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Corrine Brown, etc. As it stands now, they will not be seated. If Barack Obama had won, can you honestly say Hillary Clinton and her campaign (Terry McAuliffe, Harold Ickes two former high powered members of the DNC elite) would be fighting so hard to get them seated? Terry McAuliffe was in Howard Dean's position and set this whole thing up for Hillary and Bill to waltz into the WH. It was supposed to be over on Super Tuesday.
-Part of Hillary Clinton and her DNC rich campaign is to get as much of the popular vote as possible so she can go to the convention and discount the states Obama has won and say she has won the big states and the popular vote. She has all of the old DNC working for her: Lanny Davis, Terry McAuliffe, Harold Ickes, Governor Rendell, and many more. This is another tactic to get the nomination just like the VP crap she is offering the front runner. AUDACITY..
My 8 year old granddaugh
It is evident what Hillary Clinton and her campaign are trying to do to this party. Each day she continues in this race she destroys the credibilit
A house divided cannot stand. This house, the Democratic Party, will go down in flames...
BTW You need to listen to Reverend Al again because obviously you do not understand where he is coming from. It ticks me off when people try to change the rules in the middle of the game. You need to direct your state Republican Governor, Republican and Democratic Party, and Democratic State Party Leaders. The hypocrisy is in changing the rules when you voted for it not against it when you had the chance. I guess once again for the Hillary Clinton supporters
-I NEVER said the primary was the only driving force behind the date change. I know the Florida primary date move was driven by a property tax amendment, as I said, I am a property owner. (And by the way, it has been reported in the press). But, that was not the ONLY reason. The 100% bi-partisa
-No argument here about why all names were on the Florida ballot. However, all names were there and Sen. Obama got 30% of the vote. Like you, I don't know about MI.
-"Democrat
-"Terry McAuliffe was in Howard Dean's position and set this whole thing up for Hillary and Bill to waltz into the WH. It was supposed to be over on Super Tuesday." Maybe that was their strategy. I don't know because I wasn't there. But it obviously didn't work. And if that was the master plan, why wasn't the Obama campaign out in full force from the beginning? Why now? Because it looks like he could win? Civic duty ALWAYS, not just when it looks like your preferred candidate can win is all I have to say.
-"She has all of the old DNC working for her: Lanny Davis, Terry McAuliffe, Harold Ickes, Governor Rendell, and many more." And??? By the way, Obama's "rich" camp is nothing to sneeze at.
For your 8 year old granddaugh
I have to disagree that it's "what Hillary Clinton and her campaign are trying to do to this party." The party as a whole - "powers that be" as well as the voters - are doing a bang-up job all by their lonesome. And I agree, "It is truly a sad time for the Democratic Party." Hopefully we all can decide to do what is right before any flames start flickering
No, I don't need to listen again because I'm quite aware from where Rev. Sharpton is coming and just because I'm a Black woman, doesn't mean I think he's right on this one. You don't disenfranc
"The hypocrisy is in changing the rules when you voted for it not against it when you had the chance." Agree - for both campaigns. "I guess once again for the Hillary Clinton supporters
And BTW, since my candidate suspended his campaign, I had been torn between remaining candidates
HILLARY CLINTON IN CONSIDERAT
AT THE NEW YORK STATE GOVERNORSH
YUP...SPRE
GREAT JOB FOR HER.
IF SHE CAN SUGGEST
BARACK BE VEEP, WE CAN SUGGEST SHE
RUN BACK TO NEW YORK AND RUN THAT STATE.
HILLARY CLINTON EYEING RUN AT NEW YORK STATE
GOVERNOR JOB.
E-MAIL anyone and everyone who needs to know!
Michigan and Florida knew the consquence
The Clinton's constant turmoil is very destructiv
However, I agree. Rules were rules, and it should not count now. Also, I oppose a re-vote at all if public money is used to pay for it.
a Seating the delegates from Fla and Mi will satisfy the two states. Dividing the delegates evenly between Obama and Hil, remainders to Edwards should satisfy the candidates
Here is why: It doesn't get anyone closer to winning. In order to win nomination a candidate needs a simple majority of the total delegates. That is why they keep talking about 2024.5 delegates to win. They didn't just make that number up. If Florida is counted in full, the target number will rise by 92.5. However, you are then giving each candidate 92.5 delegates in the split. The out come is null. NO EFFECT.